Senators on Monday, January 29 derided a remark made by a House lawmaker who claimed that they are opposed to Charter change due to their unwillingness to leave their comfort zones.
On Sunday, Surigao del Norte 2nd District Rep. Robert Ace Barbers criticized some senators who supposedly “feign support for Charter change but exploit every opportunity to halt it.”
“Hala! Huli na naman sa bibig mga Congs. Panay kunyari economic provisions sila interesado pero pang apat na yan na nagsasalita about their term extension (Oh no! These congressmen can really be caught by their statements. They claim to be interested to change the economic provisions, but he is the fourth lawmaker to talk about term extension),” Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva said in a statement.
“Sabi nga ng matatanda sa amin, kahit anong bangis ng isda nahuhuli pa rin sa bibig (As the elders say, any fish can really be caught in the mouth),” Villanueva pointed out.
Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero, likewise, questioned Barbers’ point of view on Charter change.
“Huh? I thought they just wanted to amend the economic provisions?!
What amendments is Cong. Ace is referring to? Is he admitting that if this PI (People’s Initiative) is passed they will start with political amendments?” Escudero pointed out.
“Is he referring to their desire to extend their terms and remove term limits because they want to be in a ‘comfortable zone’,” he added.
At this, senators reminded their counterparts in the House of Representatives that amending the 1987 Constitution should be done for the right reasons.
“Amending the Constitutiom should be for the right reasons. Di dapat pam-personal ang dahilan, at di rin para sa iilan (It should not be for one’s personal reason and certainly not for just a few),” Sen. Maria Lourdes Nancy Binay said.
“Kasi pag agendang personal na ang mas lamang na dahilan, malamang sa malamang, may gustong makalamang (Because if it’s a personal agenda, most likely, someone just wants to benefit),” Binay pointed out.
Sen. Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito said the Senate has always been agreeable to constitutional amendments to the economic provisions.
“(But the) House of Representatives want a shift to unicameral form so that there would not be anymore a check and balance mechanism,” Ejercito lamented.
“That seems to be the primary reason for their push to open political provisions not to mention to lift term limits.
Para may forever! (So they can stay forever),” he pointed out.